Jocelyn K. Glei over at productivity blog The 99 Percent argues that the number one ingredient for better productivity is waking up early:

When I interview creatives, I often ask them what advice they would give to the next generation, the up-and-comers. Curiously, there's one incredibly important habit that nearly all of them possess that is almost never mentioned. So what is the secret ingredient in their productivity regime? It's simple: They get up early.

A recent survey found that most morning people were more active and goal oriented, felt more in charge, and more proactive. Glei believes this makes sense as getting up early isn't exactly something we want to do naturally, so if we're doing it on a regular basis there's a good chance we're motivated. While there are certainly types who find they're most productive at night, the majority of the world works during the day and so early risers have an advantage over night owls. For night owls that want to make the conversion, Glei suggests the following:

Set an exact time to get out of bed.

Move up your bedtime in sync with the time you plan to get up.

Get out of bed immediately.

Expose yourself to sunlight.

Develop a routine for your morning.

Stick with it.

(Be sure to check out the full article for much more detail on these steps.)

Ultimately, it's going to come down to what's best for you and best for your situation. While most have an advantage of working during the day, that's not always the case for everyone. Personally, I'm both a morning and night person—just not an afternoon person. What works best for you and why? Share your thoughts in the comments.